THE MANY FACES OF FEAR
by Demeter Goddess of Protection
Summary: Title sucks. AU. InuYasha, Sango, and Miroku are the new kids at Shikon High. Kagome is an outcast who lives in a rotten household. Give it a try?


Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets blue, sue me and I'll be mad at you!  
The Many Faces Of Fear  
Kagome Higurashi huddled against a wall. Her eyes portrayed horror and pain. She was helpless as her father inflicted another blow on her. She shut her eyes tightly and tried desperately to numb the pain. Her father took another swig of beer and smashed the bottle on his daughter. Kagome now not only reek of blood but beer as well. The shards of glass slid off her tangled ebony hair.  
"Please stop." She whimpered. She dared to look in her father's eyes. His eyes were bloodshot and that of a mad bull. He only roared in laughter and tossed her aside as if she were a mere rag doll. Then, he rounded on his wife. Mrs. Higurashi, who was already black and blue, tried to escape the clutches of her husband.  
Then, he fainted, probably because of the alcohol. Kagome's mother scrambled up.  
"Kagome. Come quickly. We must check up on Souta." She said. Kagome nodded and they quickly climbed the stairs. When they reached Souta's room, they found their son/brother patting his cat, Buyo, and trembling nonstop.  
"Is he done?" He asked. Kagome nodded solemnly. He climbed into his bed.  
"G'night mom, night Sis." He said. Kagome nodded again and smiled briefly before going to her mother's room to clean her wounds.  
After that, she walked into her bedroom and went to sleep, tears running down her cheeks like rivers.  
The next morning, Kagome went to the kitchen to find the room empty. Usually her mother was down, making breakfast. She went to her mother's room and found-it empty.  
Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of the bare room. She blindly ran to her brother's room. Souta was there sleeping with Buyo on top of his head.  
"Souta! Souta!" Kagome shook her brother's shoulders. Souta cracked an eye  
  
open.  
"Wha is it?" He asked groggily. A tear trickled down Kagome's cheek.  
"I think mother has finally deserted us. She isn't here. Dad's already at work." She said. Souta burst into tears, Kagome doing the same.  
If anyone had looked through the window, they would have sawn two children hugging and crying as if their hearts had been taken and stamped into a thousand pieces.  
At about 2 o'clock, Kagome and Souta fell asleep. That was how their father found them. They experienced hell that night.  
Two months passed. Kagome was forced to move into the attic. She tried many hopeless attempts to clean up her 'room' but at no avail. Her few possessions she owned where: her school uniform, one other outfit, some library books, a brush, and a toothbrush. That was it.  
Souta was treated considerably better, courtesy of Kagome. She always took his beatings for himself, except when his father managed to throw and punch at his face.  
All in all, it was hell for them.  
Then, in April, it all changed.  
"Class today we will have three new students. Their names are: InuYasha Takani, Miroku Takahashi, and Sango Soonmin. Please welcome them." The professor said. Kagome looked at the rest of them without a glance but she couldn't help but stare at InuYasha. Since when did boys have hair as long (possibly longer) hair than her?  
"InuYasha, you can sit next to Kagome. Kagome, will you please raise your hand?" Slowly Kagome raised her hand, hiding her face from the world. The concealor had not completely covered her bruises.  
"Sango, you may sit on the other side of Kagome. Miroku, you can sit next to  
Hojo. Hojo, will you please raise you hand?"  
"Hi!" Sango said.  
"Hello," Kagome said in a muffled voice, burrowing her head deep in her arms. She said a greeting to InuYasha but he didn't answer. He was too busy staring at the girl. Why wasn't she showing her face? He wondered. Probably cause she's uglier than sin, said the devil side of him.  
"Kagome?" The professor asked. Kagome looked up, and covered her cheeks with her two hands. There was nothing she could do about the black eye.  
"Yes, professor?" She asked.  
"What year did Battousai disappear?" He asked. Kagome racked her brain for an answer.  
"Um, I don't know." The professor sighed.  
"Did you do your homework?" He asked. Kagome bit her lip, as she shook her head no.  
"Third time this week! What is going on?" He asked. Kagome tried to think of an excuse. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh, I couldn't because my dad was beating me up for burning the macaroni and I was too busy protecting my younger brother.  
"Um, I was too busy with my other homework?" She said lamely. The class snickered. She heard someone talking about her.  
"Not only is she a dork but a dumb dork!" A guy whispered.  
"Well, she's pretty, except for those scars and bruises." Another guy said. Kagome's face flamed.  
"Kagome, I'm afraid I'll have to give you a failing grade for the semester." The teacher said. Kagome's insides felt like they had been turned to ice.  
"Nani?" The professor sighed.  
"You haven't done enough of your homework and the exams have gotten you a bad score. I'm sorry." Just then the bell rang. Kagome ran out, holding her books, not caring if everyone saw her bruises.  
InuYasha was shocked when he saw Kagome's face. Her cheeks were bruised beyond compare. Sesshoumaru had never been gentle towards InuYasha but InuYasha never got bruises like that.  
Sango, too, was shocked. She had gotten in rough times with gangsters but that bruise on Kagome's face was something like never before.  
Miroku was too busy groping to look at Kagome.  
Tears flooded Kagome's eyes. 'Why is my life so screwed up, she groaned mentally. 'I can't get into a college with a failing grade!' From that day, she vowed she would work as hard as possible. She would get extra beatings but education was something ominously precious. She went to her locker and extracted some books. As she walked in a hallway to go to the lunchroom, a sign caught her eye. Peer Tutoring, was what it read. It said that you would get paid ten dollars a lesson (AN: bear with me pplz!).  
Kagome went to the office to sign up. God knew she needed the money. The secretary looked at her report cards.  
"You have one failing grade," The secretary said. "But other than that, you have an excellent record. The person you will be teaching is- InuYasha Takani. Your first lesson will be on Friday 6:00 unless he claims that is not a good time. You will tutor him in math, understand?" Kagome nodded. The secretary nodded and waved her away. Kagome stumbled away, thoughts filling her mind.  
'I wonder if I'll survive to see my 16th birthday,' she thought. He birthday was in a month, not that anyone would acknowledge that fact. Life was just cruel.  
"InuYasha, I have a tutor for you." The secretary said. InuYasha blinked. Already? He hadn't even been there a full day!  
"Her name is Kagome Higurashi," The secretary continued. "You'll be tutored in math and on Friday, at 6 o'clock. Any objections?" InuYasha shook his head. The secretary then shooed him away.  
Friday came. Kagome got ready at around 5:45. Then the door slammed. Kagome stood stock-still. Her father was here already. Oh crap! He lumbered into her room.  
"Where d'you think you're going, brat?" He spat out, slapping her already bruised cheek.  
"Um, nowhere dad." She said. Her father roared.  
"Nowhere huh? Yeah right!" He said. He then gave her the harshest beating she had ever experienced.  
InuYasha tapped his foot impatiently. Where was the girl? She was supposed to be here by now!  
He took out his cell phone and called her. The secretary had given him her number.  
The phone rang as soon as her father had passed out. Kagome lay on the ground, breathing heavily. She stumbled to the phone. Souta wasn't home yet.  
"Hello?" She asked dully.  
"What the heck is taking you wench?" InuYasha yelled.  
"Um, who's this?" She asked. InuYasha rolled his eyes even though she couldn't see it.  
"It's me! InuYasha Takani!" He said grumpily. Kagome nearly dropped the phone and she looked at the clock in the kitchen. It was 6:30.  
"OMG! I'm so sorry InuYasha! I'll be right there!" She promised and hung up. Then, she examined herself.  
"Oh my, I can't go out like this!" She said aloud. She didn't have any pants because her only other outfit consisted of a gray shirt and a black skirt. She wore that and put gobs of makeup on her arms, face, and legs. Then she was done. She raced out the door, though it was hard because her leg was killing her. 


End file.
